Indonesia has blocked access to some major websites because the sites do not comply with regulations in the country. As a result, 191 million Indonesian Internet users can no longer use the Yahoo search engine, PayPal payment site, and gaming platforms such as Steam and EpicGames.

The legislation was already introduced in November 2020 and requires companies to pass data to authorities if they request it. Internet companies must also remove “illegal content” upon government request. The deadline for company registration expired on Friday.

The largest internet companies, such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google, agreed to the law at the last minute to prevent the blockade. But the other companies have not registered with the authorities and are therefore no longer accessible.

The measure was widely criticized by Indonesian netizens. Hashtags like #BlokirKominfo (Ban Ministry of Communications), Epic Games and PayPal were trending on Twitter. For example, people feel that the measure hits the Indonesian online gaming industry hard. Freelance translators who use PayPal are also affected by the blockade.

According to the Ministry of Communications, the websites will be accessible again if they comply with local laws and regulations. The PayPal ban will likely be lifted for a short time before then, so that people can withdraw the money they have in their account.